The Trick to Butterfly
Inlays

Throughout our Mission Furniture line you will find butterfly inlay
keys in the doors and tabletops. In many cases they appear to join two pieces of wood
together, but they are really just for show and are about 1/8" to 3/16" thick.

The
most efficient way to make the inlay is with the plunge router, but it is possible to use
a fixed base router instead. The only problem with the fixed base is that you will have to
tip the router into the cut by hand which will take some practice.

Whichever kind of router you use, its base must accept a Porter-Cable style
template guide. The Whiteside guide system will fit DeWalt, Porter Cable, Black &
Decker and some Sear's routers and many others. In each router bit package from Whiteside
are suggestions on how to to use the bit. If your router base doesn't have a hole sized
for a Porter Cable style template guide, you can buy an adapter to fit.

The Custom made American Furniture Design
Template
Guide has 6 different butterfly keys ranging from 1 1/4" to 2 1/2" so you
have a wide range to choose from for your project. Select the wood for the keys in a
contrasting color like red and white oak, or a highly figured or quarter sawn
material. This will help your project really stand out.

To begin, route the butterfly's in stock 3/4" x 1 1/2" x
20" or as long as you need based on the size of the inlays. Attach the template guide
to the router base without the removable collar. Install the centering pin and tighten the
collar. Remove the centering pin and install the carbide bit. Adjust the plunge router
depth so that it cuts 1/8" deeper than the template.

Either clamp the
template to the stock or use double-sided carpet tape to hold it in place. Cut the
butterfly inlays by following the pattern clockwise.

After you have cut the number of butterflies necessary for your project, use the
bandsaw to cut them free from the stock.

Install the removable collar on the template guide. Adjust the plunge router depth
to 1/32" to 1/64" shallower than the inlays that you have just made.

Clamp or tape the AFD template to the work piece. For vertical
alignment, match
the template to a glue line if possible. Route the recess. Be careful because the
1/8" solid carbide bit can be fragile. The guide will not create square corners and
it will be necessary to use a chisel to cut them square for the inlay to fit.

Spread a thin layer of glue into the recess, put in the inlay, remove any glue
squeeze out, cover the inlay with a piece of paper from a brown shopping bag. Clamp a
board on the top and when dry, remove the paper by wetting the leftover paper. Use a
sander if necessary or a scraper to level them with the top.

You have now completed a perfect inlay in the same manner as we do here in our
shop.

Brian MurphyAmerican Furniture Design Co.

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